Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-01
"Readjuster" Rejoins,
ID the Editor of the Dispatch:

10 The Edltor Of ne DaSpdtch:
In recent communication published in
your paper the writer said: al would be
glad to say a word about the petition Mr.
Cooper whcedled some Richmond people
into signing"
Mr.. Cooper in bis card in to-dsy's Dis
patch very kindly furnishes the oppOrLu-
nifty desired.
The petition signed by 120 citizens OF
Richmond was very remarkable and well
calculated to deceive the people OF tue
State, and ii is now believed that the insti-
gators of the petition had one object III
view and the unsuspectlng sgners another
and very different ylew-the one dishon.
est, the other honest.
The petition was evidently fr9med In The
interest Of the bondholders, and while 1t
was a request TO our legislative committee
to meet the bondholders' committee in a
spirit OF Cancellation it accompanied that
request with a threat, and maze the 120
signeIs say that unless you accept rea-
sensible proposition Of compromise, OF
which we are TO be the sole Judge, we will
thereafter pay our taxes in coupons. On
the one hand, il was an attempt to bull.
dOze the legislative committee into sub
mission to any proposition OF settlement
the agents Of the bondh0lders might pro.
pose. on Tie other hand, il was a declara-
ton OF the 40 innocent signers OF the
petition 10 The bOndholdcrs that IL YOU
will sand firm and make no proposition
th1t tie Legislature can accept, we--and
We +. pr, sent The sentiment of the people
Of Richmond and other cities Of the State
viii LAY our taxes in coupons In the future,
and thus bgesk down the effort OF the PEG.
L.. 4 lnta orr Oft 10
ment. This !. The way the petition OF 800
Ctiz,rs Of Ricbwond is interpreted in the
country. Ard now charge, on informa-
ton deemed reliable, that the petition was
conceded in tie rooms OF the Westm0re.
land Gut by The agents OF the foreign
hondbolders OF their friends, AMI it Is he.
lieyed that Mr.. Cooper was pres.
emf, aiding and ahcltlng; and that,
knew o. the plan and endorsed it
before single signature was OBJ
tanned. Ard it il further charged that
many Of The signatures to the petition were
ohtained without rea6ing or having the
petition read to the signers by representing
that the petition was a simple appeal TO the
legislative committee to make an honest
endeayor 10 settle finally aui forever the
NtAtu VI HuOiiN Acbtt hV'Ni
intimating that the petition made them say
that II settlement was not made that they
would pay their taxes in coupons ia the
future.
MIR. Cooper complains thai | do not write
over my proper name. My purpose in
former communication was TO bring s0me
facts before the pubic and not my name.
Facts are facts whether stated over real
or fictitious name, and in Virginia 1t IL not
in good taste to parade ones self too much
before the public. Mr.. Cooper can get ny
Dame for any purpose he desires at the
Dispatch Office.
/ am reliably Informed thst the 100 sign
ers Of the said petition DO not represent The
sentiment Of the people OF Richmond, and
that many Of the sgners OF that petition
have signed another petition OF very DIFF.
fereDt character. Or course Mr.. Cooper
did not wheedle any Jdy into signing the
petition by carrying 1t around. He was
too smart for that, but 1t is not believed
that he will say that he knew nothing about
1t before 1t was sent around for signatures.
READJUsTER.